The Provision of Passenger Services (Scotland) Bill, (SP Bill 78), would direct Scottish ministers to use their powers to arrange for rail passenger services to be provided directly by the public sector or by a specifically created not-for-profit company.

"This bill reflects what the people of Scotland want - a publicly run and publicly accountable railway," RMT general secretary Bob Crow said today.

"Its publication should mark a historic step towards bringing our railways back into the public sector, where they belong, and ending the massive haemorrhage of public money into private pockets.

"If anyone needed further evidence of public opinion, an IPSOS Mori poll last month once again showed that an overwhelming majority of people want their railways run by the public sector.

"If MSPs vote this bill into Scottish law, as they should, they would show the way for reclaiming rail operations thoughout the UK," Bob Crow said.

ends

Notes to editors: The proposed Provision of Passenger Services (Scotland) Bill, published today, would direct Scottish ministers to use their powers under the Railways Act 2005 to arrange for rail passenger services to be provided directly by the public sector or by a specifically created company on a not-for-profit basis when the current Scotrail franchise expires in 2011

Ipsos MORI, commissioned by RMT, interviewed 972 adults aged 15+ across Great Britain face-to-face between August 31 and  September 7, 2006. Data are weighted to match the profile of the population.  
 
"Do you believe that passenger rail services, such as overground trains and the Tube network, should be run by the public or private sector?"

BASE:   972 British adults

Public sector: 68%
 
Private sector: 15%
 
Don't know: 17%